Sometimes the body knows
Long before the brain does.

You stand without a sunblock
cream, in front of the waves
of your collapsed dreams.
while your shadow
is the smallest.

You pour melanin all over
your insecurities,
as you know it's the only
way to save yourself.
It pricks, I know.
It pricks your skin.

That doesn't mean
you have to apologise
to the sun for having skin.

- Barkha